1. EQUINE VETERINARY DENTISTRY
“Dr. Trish” Pugh

2. What does this saying mean?
EQUINE DENTAL TRIVIA….
What does this saying mean?
“Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth”

3. In popular culture… The common folk saying "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" is taken from the era when gifting horses was common. The teeth of horses are a good indication of the age of the animal, and it was considered rude to inspect the teeth of a gifted animal as you would one that you were purchasing. The saying is used in reference to being an ungrateful gift receiver.

4. How many teeth do adult horses have?
EQUINE DENTAL TRIVIA….
How many teeth do adult horses have?

5. How many teeth do adult horses have?
36-44
The range in number is caused by the presence or absence of canines and wolf teeth.

6. What is Galvayne’s Groove?
EQUINE DENTAL TRIVIA….
What is Galvayne’s Groove?

7. Galvayne’s Groove EQUINE DENTAL TRIVIA….
Galvayne's groove occurs on the upper corner incisor, producing a vertical line
It is helpful in approximating the age of older horses
It generally first appears at age 10, reaches half-way down the tooth by age 15, is completely down the tooth at age 20
It then begins to disappear, usually half-way gone by age 25, and completely gone by age 30.
Sydney Galvayne was an Australian born Irishman from the mid 1800’s. He was a renowned student of the horse, and a horse trainer. When he came to England in 1884 he introduced a humane system of training unbroken or vicious horses using a method that utilized the horse’s strength against itself.
He held over 300 classes in Great Britain teaching these methods and in 1887 appeared before Queen Victoria.
Among his many feats as a horseman, Galvayne perfected a method of ageing horses by their teeth. He had great success in demonstrating this ability in his travels.

8. Do horses have “baby teeth”?
Like humans, horses have two sets of teeth in their lifetimes. Baby teeth are called deciduous teeth and are temporary. The first deciduous incisors may erupt before the foal is born. The last baby teeth come in when the horse is about six - eight months of age. These “baby” teeth will begin to be replaced by adult teeth around the age of 2 ½. Most of the adult permanent teeth will be in place by age 5.

9. What are some signs my horse may show if he has dental problems?
How will I know if my horse has a dental problem?
Horses with dental problems may show obvious signs such as pain or irritation, or they may show no noticeable signs at all. Equine veterinarians skilled in dentistry are constantly amazed at how much discomfort horses will endure without any overt signals to their owners. By the time the average owner notices a problem, such as loss of feed from the mouth while eating, fighting the bit or foul odor from the mouth or nostrils, the abnormalities inside the mouth are likely to be severe.
How many teeth does a horse have?
A typical adult male horse has 40 permanent teeth, while a typical mare may have 36 to 40 teeth, because mares are less likely to have canine (bridle) teeth. A horse’s permanent teeth are about four inches long.
What does it mean to “float” a horse’s teeth?
Routine maintenance of a horse’s mouth has been historically referred to as “floating.” Floating removes the sharp enamel points. Occlusal equilibration is the term now used to describe smoothing enamel points, correcting malocclusion (faulty meeting of the upper and lower teeth), balancing the dental arcades and correcting other dental problems.
What is the difference between traditional floating and power floating?
Traditionally, horses have had their sharp enamel points and dental crown elongations reduced with hand-held rasps (floats). These manual dental instruments have improved in quality over the past 20 years but still require a reasonable amount of manual dexterity, physical strength and "elbow grease.” High quality dental tools powered by electricity or compressed air have become readily available and affordable over the past 10 years. These instruments reduce the physical effort that is required, and with expertise and caution, allow for more complete and efficient dental care.
Will my horse need to be sedated during a dental exam?
Some horses find the process of having their mouth opened and instruments placed in the oral cavity to be stressful. For a complete oral examination and good quality corrective care, most horses benefit from a mild sedative to relieve any stress or unnecessary movement on the patient's part.
Why is it important for an equine veterinarian to perform dental work on my horse?
Only a veterinarian has the medical knowledge to understand and treat a dental condition that may affect the horse’s overall health. Most equine dental procedures, including basic floating, irreversibly change the horse’s teeth and therefore are most appropriately performed by a veterinarian. The AAEP believes equine dentistry is an important branch of veterinary medicine which should only be performed by a licensed veterinarian.
What are wolf teeth?
Wolf teeth are the remnants of the first premolars that have now become obsolete with the evolution of the horse. The most common first premolars seen in the horse are the uppers and they are shaped similar to small canine teeth. This is why they are often described as wolf teeth. These sharp teeth, if present, are in the area of the mouth where the bit fits. Wolf teeth may cause the horse some discomfort when pressure is placed on the bit. Therefore, these teeth are usually removed in young riding horses.
What is cribbing and how does it affect dental care?
Cribbing is a stereotypic behavior, or vice, that some horses develop. The horse exhibits cribbing by grabbing onto an inanimate object (fence posts, buckets, stall walls, etc.) with its incisor teeth, pulling the object and
often making a sucking sound. Because these horses spend the majority of their time during the day preoccupied with this behavior rather than grazing or eating, they quite often have dental wear problems. The upper incisor teeth (front teeth) are often worn excessively from hours of abnormal attrition. These horses are referred to as "stump suckers.”
How do diet, pasture management and stabling impact dental wear?
Mother Nature designed horses to be pasture grazing animals. Horses in the wild normally spend 16 hours a day with their heads down, grazing grass. For a horse to properly process pounds of wet-grass forage a day, it uses a wide, crushing chewing pattern. This allows the incisor teeth and cheek teeth to wear at a normal and even rate. Under artificial conditions, horses are fed an abnormal diet (grain and hay) for shorter intervals during the day, with an abnormal head posture (feed tub or hay rack). All of these conditions alter the chewing pattern and adversely affect the way teeth are worn over time.
Do donkeys and mules require different dental care than do horses?
All equine species have the same type dentition. We see the same types of pathology and wear patterns in donkeys, mules, zebras and horses. Under current domestication practices, all require regular dental care.
Dr. Easley, of Shelbyville, Ky., is nationally recognized for his expertise in equine dentistry. He is a past chair of the AAEP’s Dentistry Committee and serves as an association spokesperson on equine dental issues.
What are some signs my horse may show if he has dental problems?
Some horses show obvious signs while others may show no noticeable signs at all.
Drop feed from mouth while eating, difficulty chewing, or excessive salivation
Loss of body condition
Undigested or large feed particles in manure
Head tilting or tossing

10. What are some signs my horse may show if he has dental problems?
How will I know if my horse has a dental problem?
Horses with dental problems may show obvious signs such as pain or irritation, or they may show no noticeable signs at all. Equine veterinarians skilled in dentistry are constantly amazed at how much discomfort horses will endure without any overt signals to their owners. By the time the average owner notices a problem, such as loss of feed from the mouth while eating, fighting the bit or foul odor from the mouth or nostrils, the abnormalities inside the mouth are likely to be severe.
How many teeth does a horse have?
A typical adult male horse has 40 permanent teeth, while a typical mare may have 36 to 40 teeth, because mares are less likely to have canine (bridle) teeth. A horse’s permanent teeth are about four inches long.
What does it mean to “float” a horse’s teeth?
Routine maintenance of a horse’s mouth has been historically referred to as “floating.” Floating removes the sharp enamel points. Occlusal equilibration is the term now used to describe smoothing enamel points, correcting malocclusion (faulty meeting of the upper and lower teeth), balancing the dental arcades and correcting other dental problems.
What is the difference between traditional floating and power floating?
Traditionally, horses have had their sharp enamel points and dental crown elongations reduced with hand-held rasps (floats). These manual dental instruments have improved in quality over the past 20 years but still require a reasonable amount of manual dexterity, physical strength and "elbow grease.” High quality dental tools powered by electricity or compressed air have become readily available and affordable over the past 10 years. These instruments reduce the physical effort that is required, and with expertise and caution, allow for more complete and efficient dental care.
Will my horse need to be sedated during a dental exam?
Some horses find the process of having their mouth opened and instruments placed in the oral cavity to be stressful. For a complete oral examination and good quality corrective care, most horses benefit from a mild sedative to relieve any stress or unnecessary movement on the patient's part.
Why is it important for an equine veterinarian to perform dental work on my horse?
Only a veterinarian has the medical knowledge to understand and treat a dental condition that may affect the horse’s overall health. Most equine dental procedures, including basic floating, irreversibly change the horse’s teeth and therefore are most appropriately performed by a veterinarian. The AAEP believes equine dentistry is an important branch of veterinary medicine which should only be performed by a licensed veterinarian.
What are wolf teeth?
Wolf teeth are the remnants of the first premolars that have now become obsolete with the evolution of the horse. The most common first premolars seen in the horse are the uppers and they are shaped similar to small canine teeth. This is why they are often described as wolf teeth. These sharp teeth, if present, are in the area of the mouth where the bit fits. Wolf teeth may cause the horse some discomfort when pressure is placed on the bit. Therefore, these teeth are usually removed in young riding horses.
What is cribbing and how does it affect dental care?
Cribbing is a stereotypic behavior, or vice, that some horses develop. The horse exhibits cribbing by grabbing onto an inanimate object (fence posts, buckets, stall walls, etc.) with its incisor teeth, pulling the object and
often making a sucking sound. Because these horses spend the majority of their time during the day preoccupied with this behavior rather than grazing or eating, they quite often have dental wear problems. The upper incisor teeth (front teeth) are often worn excessively from hours of abnormal attrition. These horses are referred to as "stump suckers.”
How do diet, pasture management and stabling impact dental wear?
Mother Nature designed horses to be pasture grazing animals. Horses in the wild normally spend 16 hours a day with their heads down, grazing grass. For a horse to properly process pounds of wet-grass forage a day, it uses a wide, crushing chewing pattern. This allows the incisor teeth and cheek teeth to wear at a normal and even rate. Under artificial conditions, horses are fed an abnormal diet (grain and hay) for shorter intervals during the day, with an abnormal head posture (feed tub or hay rack). All of these conditions alter the chewing pattern and adversely affect the way teeth are worn over time.
Do donkeys and mules require different dental care than do horses?
All equine species have the same type dentition. We see the same types of pathology and wear patterns in donkeys, mules, zebras and horses. Under current domestication practices, all require regular dental care.
Dr. Easley, of Shelbyville, Ky., is nationally recognized for his expertise in equine dentistry. He is a past chair of the AAEP’s Dentistry Committee and serves as an association spokesperson on equine dental issues.
What are some signs my horse may show if he has dental problems?
Some horses show obvious signs while others may show no noticeable signs at all.
Bit chewing, tongue rolling, fighting the bit, or resisting the bit
Poor performance
Foul odor from mouth or nostrils
Nasal discharge or swelling of the face, jaw, or mouth tissues

11. What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?
Sharp enamel points forming on cheek teeth, causing lacerations of cheeks and the tongue

12. What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?
Retained caps (baby teeth that are not shed)
Extracted Retained Cap
What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?

13. What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?
Discomfort caused by bit contact with the wolf teeth
Retained Wolf Tooth
Blue arrow – 2nd premolar
Yellow arrow – 1st premolar aka…wolf tooth
What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?

14. What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?
Hooks forming on the upper and lower cheek teeth
Long and/or sharp canine (bridle) teeth interfering with the removal or insertion of the bit
Hooks
What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?

15. What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?
Lost or broken teeth
Abnormal or uneven bite planes
What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?

16. What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?
Excessively worn teeth
Abnormally long teeth
What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?

17. What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?
Infected teeth and/or gums
Periodontal (gum) disease
What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?

18. What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?
Misalignment/poor apposition
(can be due to congenital defects or injury)
“Moneky Mouth”
“Undershot Jaw”
“Sow Mouth”
Prognathia is the abnormal shortness of the upper jaw.
“Parrot Mouth”
“Overshot Jaw”
Brachygnathia is the abnormal shortness of the lower jaw.
What are some of the common dental problems horses may suffer from?

19. Dental Veterinary Care
A comprehensive physical exam (including a dental exam) should be performed by a veterinarian on an annual basis.
Sedatives and analgesics can help the horse relax and keep him comfortable during the dental examination and dental procedures. Such drugs should be administered only by a veterinarian.

20. Dental Instruments

21. Equine Veterinary Dentistry
Tricia M. Pugh, DVM